Foreign Minister Julie Bishop says the Australian Government will contribute $10 million in aid, which will include $390,500 of emergency supplies previously announced by Ms Bishop on Saturday.

"I have approved a $10 million package of humanitarian assistance. This comprises the urgent deployment of an Australian medical assistance team - at a cost of about $1 million, $3 million to be deployed through Australian non-government organisations, $4 million to the United Nations flash appeal," she said.

"[We will also contribute] $1 million for additional food items and non-food items, which includes the funding already announced - so tarps, mosquito nets, water containers and the like, and $1 million to the Red Cross to assist in their disaster response efforts."

When questioned about the size of the donation, the Foreign Minister defended the $10 million figure calling it a "substantial package", but left the door open for more aid in the coming days.

"This $10 million is on a scale with other countries, but we will obviously stand by ready to support the Philippines in whatever way we can," she said.

"Our offer to president Aquino stands that if more assistance is needed, and in what form, we are certainly ready to assist," she said.

The head of the Australian Red Cross, Robert Tickner, says the Coalition Government's cut to Australia's foreign aid budget will not impact on its response to the current disaster.

"It's a different issue, a different order of magnitude. It's a crisis response and the Australian Government has a long history of responding positively in times like this and I'm sure they will," he said.

Mr Tickner says the typhoon has caused incredible devastation and the Red Cross is working hard to provide relief to those affected by the storm.

"The Philippines Red Cross is one of the most organised and most community-connected of the Red Cross societies around the world," he said.

"They are fully operational, deeply engaged in this relief effort and they'll be supported by the whole of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Federation."

"I've certainly got all our Australian Red Cross key people in contact with the Philippines, working with the international relief effort and there's no doubt that this is going to need outside assistance," he said.

"This is a mega, super typhoon and 10,000 people already appear to have lost their lives."

Global aid response to typhoon disaster

Countries and organisations around the world - including the US, the UN and the EU - have scrambled to offer aid to the Philippines as the devastation wreaked by the typhoon became clearer.

US military support is being sent to the country, after the Pentagon said defence secretary Chuck Hagel responded to a request from Manila for assistance.

Search-and-rescue ships and transport aircraft have been deployed from the United States' Pacific deployments.

UN leader Ban Ki-moon promised UN humanitarian agencies would "respond rapidly to help people in need".

UN children's fund UNICEF said a cargo plane carrying 60 tonnes of aid including shelters and medicine would arrive in the Philippines on Tuesday, to be followed by deliveries of water purification and sanitation equipment.

The European Commission said it would give more than $4.2 million to help in relief efforts.

Britain offered another emergency support package worth more than $10 million, while Germany's embassy in Manila said an initial shipment of 23 tonnes of aid was being flown in and German rescue teams were already at work.

Pope Francis, "deeply saddened" by the disaster, on Sunday urged Catholics to provide "concrete help" and led 60,000 people in prayers for the Philippines.

"Sadly, there are many, many victims and the damage is huge," he said.